


The Shadow Mark

by xxrealitywarperxx



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akuma Attack, Akuma Possession, Anxiety Attacks, F/F, F/M, Hawkmoth is stronger, Low-level imposter syndrome, Neutral Pronouns, Nonbinary Character, Superheros, Teen Angst, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-08-04 10:30:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16345076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxrealitywarperxx/pseuds/xxrealitywarperxx
Summary: An old childhood friend of Adrien's moves to Paris and shit hits the fan.





	1. Reina Lyneth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so, I wrote this around the same time I started writing "Misfortune" but I actually went through and edited "Misfortune", whereas this is a raw copy.  
> Have fun!

"Ladybug!" Antibug cooed, bouncing on the end of Chat Noir's staff, the feline hero yelling in surprise as the ropes binding him to it slipped closer to the end. He glanced back at the balcony, watching as Antibug placed a heavy crate on the end so he wouldn't fall and dash into the hotel.  
  
Chat Noir sighed in momentary relief, immediately testing his bonds and craning his neck to look for his little Bugaboo. But while the real Ladybug was nowhere to be seen, he did see quite the surprising sight.  
  
On the ground below him, a girl stared up at him, her strange eyes narrowed in thought. She held up one finger then ran inside the hotel, her locket flashing a brilliant silver that Chat could feel burning into his retina's.  
  
As he sat there, fighting against the tight ropes, he felt a jolt behind him before his staff was moving back toward the balcony and he felt nimble fingers quickly untie the ropes on his feet and then his hands. He smiled, flipping onto the edge of the area, arms wide open and catching his baton as he grinned. He faltered though when he noticed the other girl standing before him and not Ladybug as he'd expected.  
  
The girl smirked, her hand resting on her hip as she glanced at him. "You alright, Chat Noir?"  
  
He blinked, focusing on her words instead of her green-gold catlike eyes. "Yeah...yeah, of course." It was easy enough to fall into his flirty facade. "Thanks for the save."  
  
A delicate eyebrow raise. That was the response. The girl gave a small mock bow and ran into the hotel, leaving Chat to stare at her disappearing form with his eyes wide and jaw open.

  
x x x x x

  
Lupus smirked as she ran through the hotel looking for Antibug. She'd expected surprise from Chat Noir of course but not...well, _that._  It made her feel bubbly inside; the mere act of rendering the black feline speechless had made her breathless with glee.  
  
But for now, she pushed the thought aside. Antibug stood opposite Ladybug, taunting her. Each word made Ladybug's jaw clench tighter, her knuckles whitening further.  
  
Lupus was nervous because Ladybug seemed to be taking this fight a lot more personally than any other Lupus had witnessed as her plain self. So she took matters into her own hands.  
  
 Her hand came up to her silver locket that sat on her collarbone, flicking the clasp open with nimble fingers, revealing the dark, howling wolf silhouette reflected on the surface. She took a moment to think before throwing her arm out, the wolf glowing and a wall materialising between the two bugs, just in time for the two yo-yos to collide with it and bounce back.  
  
Without wasting another moment, Lupus flicked her wrist, the wolf glowing and the wall contorting down to land as a dome over Antibug. She felt a relieved smile spread and she snapped the locket closed as Ladybug turned to Lupus in shock. Her blue eyes quickly scanned the girl in her white top and black overalls with grey-tinted and her stance relaxed slightly. "Are you a civilian or... something else?"  
  
Lupus smiled. "I get your confusion. I'm the holder of the wolf miraculous. I figured out how to control my outfit when I transformed and honestly this is just more comfortable."  
  
Ladybug gestured to the dark shadowing around Lupus' eyes. "And the paint?"  
  
"Oh, it's not paint. A mask just felt tacky and this helps with the whole secret identity deal. I mean, the eyes pretty much take care of that but hey, better safe than sorry."  
  
From behind the dome, a dull thud echoed. Lupus' eyes narrowed as she turned to it. "That won't hold forever. That yo-yo's pretty damn strong. That wall _will_  break. I'll answer any questions I can after we beat her. And if I'm honest, I'd rather take her down together."  
  
"I'm down for that." Chat Noir flipped into the room, landing beside Ladybug and using his staff to tilt toward her. "What do you say, Bugaboo?"  
  
Ladybug rolled her eyes at him and gave Lupus a soft smile. "So what's your weapon?"  
  
"Oh, this." Lupus tapped the locket, watching as they exchanged a confused glance. "Sorry, uh... to be more specific, I can conjure things so it's kinda similar to Volpina. She used her flute, I use this."  
  
A flick of her thumb, the locket popping open and showing the wolf silhouette. They both nodded, intrigued but when Chat's mouth opened to ask a follow-up question, the dome came crashing down, an angry akumatised villain staring between the two heroes she recognised and the one she didn't. Her eyes narrowed as she smirked.  
  
"Kitty got free, huh? Doesn't matter. I have Ladybug right where I want her!"  
  
Lupus didn't think. She grabbed the locket, her knuckles white and shouted, " _ **Hallucielementum**_!" at the top of her lungs.  
  
When Antibug threw the yo-yo, Ladybug seemed frozen in surprise. Especially when Lupus moved, faster than should have been possible to stop in front her and catch the yo-yo with one hand.  
  
Her appearance had changed. She had cracks running across her skin, water seeming to bleed from every one, rippling as it ran across her form. Her body had an orange aura, sparking embers out sporadically. Her short silvery hair had come free from its styling and now waved around above her head as violent yet restrained winds whipped around her.  
  
She glanced back at the two heroes, her eyes swirling with colour. She tugged lightly on the string and fire erupted from her palm, knocking Antibug into the wall, separating her and the yo-yo. Antibug hit the ground, unconscious.  
  
Chat Noir didn't wait another moment, dashing over and grabbing the earring, smashing it under his foot. Ladybug quickly caught the akuma and de-evilised it, releasing the bright butterfly and thus revealed the young Chloe Bourgeois. Her bluebell orbs then turned back to Lupus, glancing at the other girl in confusion. The other girl's brow creased slightly. "What?"

  
x x x x x

  
Chat Noir's eyes narrowed as he stared at the girl before him. It wasn't Lupus anymore; that much was obvious to him as he made his way back to Ladybug's side. Her eyes weren't their green-golden hue nor were they as playful. Instead, they shone with a serious, silvery hue, vibrant colours bursting from her irises as she moved them, reminding him of the way prisms caught the light.  
  
"You are staring," not-Lupus commented.  
  
"Who are you?" Ladybug's voice was full of wonder, drawing Chat's gaze to her bright eyes, a soft smile spreading across his lips.  
  
"I am Eriis, the wolf kwami."  
  
That was certainly one way to get their attention. Seeing as neither Ladybug nor Chat Noir has used their powers, they didn't have a limit on how long they stayed as they were. Eriis didn't seem bothered either, though, for the most part, her expression was fairly neutral.  
  
"You seem confused," Eriis continued, more to herself than to the others, her gaze turning inward. "Perhaps I ought to assist with that."  
  
"I didn't know the kwami could take control like that!" Ladybug exclaimed, startling Chat Noir.  
  
Eriis raised her head and smiled. "Normally, they cannot. I am quite... unique, in that regard." She nodded between the two of them. "The ladybug and cat kwami's are arguably the most powerful of them all seeing as they have the power of creation and destruction — something I'm sure you are already aware of. I am actually a relatively new kwami. I give my holder two options with my power — which is elemental ability. _Hallucielementum_  is what Lupus used today. It relinquishes control to me, the kwami, until the detransformation or I decide otherwise. The other option is _imperiumpulso_  which leaves Lupus in control but she only receives a single element to manipulate. I can also relinquish control back to her using the second option.  
  
"I will not lie to you; I was created to rival the ladybug and the cat. Hence the "double-trouble" power. But the ladybug and the cat together... hmm. I cannot rival that, no matter what they thought. You are an excellent team, whether you are aware of this or not. And I speak on behalf of both Lupus and myself when I ask if you could possibly accept us into your group."  
  
Chat Noir glanced at Ladybug. It wasn't up to him — he _liked_  Lupus. She'd saved his life! But Ladybug was cautious, always hesitant. It was just who she was. But to his surprise, Ladybug let out a quick laugh. "Fuck yes!"  
  
The feline started at his partner's words, never hearing her say that before. Granted, he said it quietly and often but _Ladybug_  never had.  
  
"Don't give me that look," Ladybug said, rolling her eyes at him.  
  
"I will return Lupus to you now," Eriis said. "She will retain a single elemental ability though I do not know which one. Chat Noir, please tell Plagg he should ask Master Fu about me. Ladybug, Tikki should already know — she is more educated of her own will than Plagg. _**Imperiumpulso**_!"  
  
There was a flash of blinding white light. When vision returned to him, Chat Noir faced Lupus, her appearance the same as when they met, bar from the winds that had calmed and spread from her hair, enveloping her body and leaving her with an air bodysuit.  
  
The wolf girl examined her arms with mild interest. "Air today. Cool." The locket that bounced on her collarbone had faded from vibrant silver to a dull ginger, the orange-like hue becoming gradually more prominent. The wolf silhouette flickered, and blurred, becoming less of a shadow and more of an image. Her eyes widened as she noticed it, hands seeming to instinctively clutch at the item. "Crap. Well, nice meeting you! Maybe we'll do this again sometime."  
  
Before she could dash away, Chat Noir darted forward, grabbing ahold of her wrist and stopping Lupus in her tracks. The girl's eyes were fast as they flicked between Chat's hand and the hero's face. With her free hand, she gestured to the almost ginger locket and smiled.  
  
"With all due respect, kitty, I gotta fly — I don't have long until I transform."  
  
Chat's mouth opened then closed, releasing the girl in time for her to run for the balcony and leap into the air, flying fast enough that even Chat's vision could barely see her. But he couldn't quench the sense of recognition that shot through him — like he knew the girl beneath the mask.  
  
"So what do you think?" He turned back to Ladybug as she spoke, her arm outstretched in a fist. "Do we still deserve a 'pound it'?"  
  
The feline smirked, tapping his fist against hers. "Always, milady. Always."

  
x x x x x  
x x x x x

  
Lupus landed hard in an alleyway near her home, just in time for the locket to become completely ginger and then flash gold and pop open, the wolf flickering into focus for a second before disappearing completely, her _abuela_  now the only image on the locket. Eriis flew out as the locket snapped shut, landing in the teen's waiting palms.  
  
Now it was Reina who stood in the alleyway, panting. Eriis was no better, the silver kwami curled up in her master's hands and almost passing out in her exhaustion.  
  
"It's alright," the teen whispered to their small friend. "I'll find you something to eat. _Lo hiciste genial."_   _|You did great.|_  
  
Eriis' eyes opened slightly as she smiled. "You did better than I."  
  
Reina smiled before carefully placing the kwami in their breast pocket, checking the surrounding area and darting out into the street. It'd been a productive day. They both deserved ice-cream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I don't actually speak Spanish well so please correct me if I translate something wrong  
> 2\. I asked myself: "what would happen if I combined Dance!AU with Avatar: The Last Airbender?" and that's where I got Reina from  
> 3\. Reina IDs as nonbinary (which you'll see in the next chapter) but because they're very female presenting, they just roll with "she" as Lupus.  
> 4\. I'll be trying to update "Misfortune" weekly and this story fortnightly


	2. Uh... Whoops?

The classroom was filled with hushed whispers when Marinette ran in the next morning. She slid into her seat beside Alya, panting hard and trying to get her breath back.  
  
"What's...happened?" she gasped out to her friend.  
  
"Girl!" Alya exclaimed, just as excited as everyone else. "Two things: there's a new student coming and Ladybug and Chat Noir have a new partner!"  
  
Marinette drew in a heaving breath before letting it out, her breathing having slowed enough to be able to talk. "New student? Does anyone know who?"  
  
Alya stared at her like she had lost her mind. Her head cocked to the side and she repeated herself slowly. "Ladybug and Chat Noir have a new partner."  
  
Marinette flushed slightly. "O-oh? Who?"  
  
"I don't know." Alya's eyes flashed devilishly. "But I'm gonna find out."  
  
Marinette knew her friend was excited but it was difficult to feign true interest when she'd met Lupus. Who, she wouldn't deny, was _totally_  awesome.  
  
"Well," she offered with a shrug. "If we don't get more bad puns like Chat Noir then I'm happy."  
  
"You don't like his puns?" Adrien had whirled around in his seat to stare intently at Marinette, his eyes piercing into her.  
  
"I-um—well, y-you see—I-I don't—uh—" with a quiet moan, Marinette's face flushed bright red, the girl sinking deeper into her seat.  
  
As it turned out, no one commented on her Adrien-induced shyness when silence filled the classroom. Marinette glanced up in time to see the teen that stood in the doorway, dressed in off-white jeans and a pastel purple button-down shirt, her ginger curls bouncing neatly over one shoulder, her teal backpack slung over the other. She smiled at the glances, revealing bright teeth that complemented her tanned skin and caramel brown eyes. She was really pretty, Marinette realised with a start.  
  
Chloe wasted no time trying to dig her claws in. "Look, Sabrina, the new girl's wearing her grandma's clothes." It was followed by sarcastic laughter that had the class simultaneously shaking their heads at them and staring in worry at the new girl, waiting for her reaction.  
  
The girl's smile shifted, becoming slyer as she strolled in. "Not her clothes specifically, if you mean she wore them." She had an accent, Marinette noticed. Distinct but not overly thick. It was nice.  
  
"They are her clothes in the sense that she owns **_SoulMate_** , the sister designer to _**Gabriel**_ ," the girl continued. "I'd wager you recognise the name, Chloe Bourgeois." She gave an exaggerated wink as Chloe's jaw unhinged. "Not to mention," she continued before Chloe could speak. "I'm nonbinary. Not a girl. They/them pronouns."  
  
"Man, I didn't think you'd _ever_  get here, Reina!" Adrien exclaimed, startling everyone. Reina turned to Adrien with a grin, sliding into the compressed space beside him. "You mind if I sit here, Strawberry?"  
  
"Not at all, Dusk."  
  
Marinette blanched at their flippant interaction. Sh— They were a model, they knew Adrien and they were so _comfortable_  around him. How could the blackette compete with that?  
  
"Don't fret," Alya assured, reading her friend's mind easily. "We'll figure something out."  
  
"Reina, this is my friend Nino," Adrien was saying, introducing the two before turning to the two girls behind him. "That's Alya and this is Marinette."  
  
" _Hola_ ," Reina smiled, leaning forward to give Alya a fistbump before turning to Marinette, extending their arm to the wide-eyed girl. Marinette shook but tapped her fist lightly against the other's, her face pale.  
  
Reina gave another smile before turning to the front as the lesson began, leaving Marinette to slip down her seat with a whimper.

  
x x x x x

  
The lunch bell rang louder than Reina had anticipated, making the teen jump in surprise. Adrien let out a quick laugh, grabbing their arm and tugging them out the door, his words too quick to follow but along the lines of "—show you around—". Reina shook their head at the blonde but allowed themselves to be tugged around with a smile.  
  
They felt Eriis jostle in their breast pocket and hoped desperately the little kwami would stay put. She'd flown out in the past, thinking Reina was just dancing in their room, only to find herself momentarily in full view of the entire mall. But aside from a quiet groan, Eriis seemed content to stay put.  
  
"Marinette!" Adrien's voice was excited, more so than it ever was inside his home — though after meeting the great Gabriel Agreste, they couldn't say they blamed him. Nathalie had seemed nice enough but Reina did think it may have been an appearance for their sake.  
  
They were shaken back to the present by their old friend who was already in the middle of speaking, "—a designer! Isn't that cool?"  
  
The teen raised an eyebrow, having figured out what Adrien meant and turned to Marinette, an easy smile in place. "That's really cool, Mari. Anything I might have seen?"  
  
Marinette shook her head quickly. "I mainly design things that seem interesting to me at the time and the only thing of mine that's ever been even a little famous was the hat I designed for Adrien's dad's competition."  
  
" _¡De los dioses!_ " Reina laughed. "I remember that! Adrien was sneezing the entire time it was hilarious! You know he's allergic to feathers, right?"  
  
"Reina, stop!" Adrien laughed, saving Marinette from answering. "No one knew. Besides, it was themed and the hat was appropriate."  
  
"It doesn't matter anyway!" Alya added. "Marinette has other super cool designs. Show her, Mari!"  
  
"Uh..." Marinette had blanched, the book in her hands clenched tightly to her chest. Reina recognised the movement — it had once been them doing that.  
  
"Hey Mari," their voice was quiet, the blackette looking up in slight worry. "Can you come with me for a minute? I wanna talk to you. In private."  
  
Marinette hesitated but nodded, rising from her seat and following Reina to stand a mere few metres away from the others. They continued to talk so the illusion of true privacy was secure.  
  
"I know what's it's like to feel forced to do something, even if you really don't want to do it." Reina smiled at the surprise on the girl's face. "Believe me. I wasn't always this awesome. I used to be a lot like you except I wrote. Can't draw to save my life. And I had friends that always pushed me to share my work, even when it was clear I didn't want to. So..." Reina's gaze had lowered, their smile becoming soft in their recollections. "Please just know that Adrien's excited. I'm not as big here as he is but back in my town, I was exactly like him. Honest. He's happy someone literally understands what it's like. And if you ever want to share your designs with me, I'd be honoured to pass them on to my _abuela_. But only when you're ready and not a moment before. I promise."  
  
Marinette's eyes were shining and Reina met them steadily. The blackette shoved the book into the other's arms, startling them. "I'm ready now. You can look."  
  
Reina smiled and gingerly began to turn the pages of the book. Their eyes got wider with every design, their mouth dropping slightly.  
  
"A lot of them are still a work in progress but I'm sure with more time I can—" Marinette had begun to blabber, a fierce blush on her cheeks at Reina's amazement.  
  
"Mari, these are stunning!" Reina's eyes shone in surprising pride as they looked between the book and the girl whose drawings resided in it. " _Dios_ , your designs are actually better than some professional shit I've seen and worn!"  
  
Marinette giggled. "You're just saying that."  
  
"No, I'm not, I swear! I... I want to bring you to meet my _abuela_ , is that okay? Are you free tomorrow? _Dios mio_ , this is so exciting, you could totally be a professional designer!"  
  
Marinette's mouth was open and she took her book back with shaking hands. "I... yeah. I'm free. Tomorrow. Yes."  
  
Reina grinned. " _¡Estupendo!_  I'm so excited!"

  
x x x x x

  
Adrien was glad to see Reina get so emotional. He had been worried about them, though to be fair their gran was a lot cooler than his father would ever be. He was gazing at the two now, Reina seeming animated while a steady blush was encompassing Mari's cheeks. It was cute to see her flustered around someone that _wasn't_  him. And kind of a relief. He was beginning to think he scared the living daylights out of her.  
  
When the two of them returned, Reina was beaming with pride and Marinette seemed dazed, the same way she got when Alya tricked her into agreeing to do something she hadn't expected to be on offer.  
  
"You two BFF's now?" Alya pretended to pout. "Am I on the market for a new one?"  
  
Marinette giggled, falling back into her familiar rhythm with her friend. "Don't be silly. Reina asked if I wanted to meet her— uh, _their_ , grandmother. You know, to show her the designs? I was surprised but...really happy."  
  
"Good," Reina smiled, slinging an arm gently around the blackette's shoulders. "At this point, I don't even know who'll like who more."  
  
"Your grandmother will like Marinette more, no question," Adrien answered the not-really question. "I've met the woman, she has an unnatural amount of love in her _soul_."  
  
Reina laughed, shaking their head at the blonde in amusement. "You know, I want to argue but I can't. I love the woman but _dios_  she loves new people."  
  
"No, she loves new figures," Adrien corrected. "The more people you bring home, the bigger her heart gets because she has new figures to design for."  
  
Reina raised an eyebrow. "Okay, my _abuela_  is a designer but she's also a human being. And she loves to cook. She'll be more excited about new tastebuds than she will new figures."  
  
"I will bet actual money on me being right."  
  
"I would expect nothing less."  
  
Alya cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the two models. A wicked grin crossed her lips. "My money's on Reina."  
  
"Mine's on Adrien!" Nino added, the moment Alya had spoken.  
  
As a group, the four turned to face Marinette, the blackette blanching and curling herself away from the attention. "M-my money's on...b-both of you?"  
  
Reina and Adrien exchanged a glance. "I can accept that," they said in sync.  
  
The five friends grinned at each other, preparing to head home, when a cold laugh echoed from above them, the five standing in plain view of the person floating down from the open-roof courtyard. Reina knew it was an akuma the moment they saw it but... appearances.  
  
" _¡De los dioses!_  What is that?" They made sure to make themselves sound excited. "Is someone shooting something? That's awesome! I can't see any wires."  
  
"Reina, come with me," Alya said, grabbing the other teen's arm and tugging them toward the exit.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Listen, Reina, this city isn't normal. We have a supervillain that terrorises the place, preying on the emotionally unstable. Lucky us though, we've got superheroes to rival them."  
  
"What?... _¿Estas loco?"_   _|Are you insane?|  
_  
Alya sighed in frustration, tugging on Reina's arm again. "We'll all explain later. But right now we need to get out."  
  
"But I have to pee!" Reina froze the moment the words left their mouth, wondering how that was the _only_  excuse that had popped into their mind. Alya was staring at them, incredulous.  
  
"There's literally no time!" She pushed them both away from the akuma's blast. "We have to get out!"  
  
"Relax, I'll pee and then jump out the window. I'm nimble enough for it."  
  
Alya seemed upset at the notion, only to be distracted by something else, something that had stopped the akuma's blasts. Reina followed her gaze, their eyes widening at the sight of Ladybug and Chat Noir standing on the edge of the wall, the two heroes jumping down to the ground and facing the akuma.  
  
"It's over, Bullie!" Ladybug exclaimed, her and Chat Noir angled so they protected each other's backs. **{A/N: I know, I know. "Bullie". I'm so inventive ;-; }**  
  
Alya was distracted enough by the two heroes, her phone out and recording them, Reina completely gone from her mind. The teen smirked, turning to Adrien, Marinette and Nino... only to find one of the three there. Raina's brow creased as they looked at Nino's confused expression.  
  
"Where are Adrien and Marinette?"  
  
Nino turned to look behind him before facing Reina with a shrug. Reina glanced around the area again, looking for the two, when their eyes rested on the two heroes and everything seemed to move in slow motion.  
  
" _Hijo de puta_ ," they breathed. _|Son of a bitch|_


	3. The Reveal

Reina's mind seemed to flash, removing the masks, replacing the clothing, neatening the scrambled hair... and Marinette and Adrien were revealed. Reina's breath came out in huffs. Could they transform now? Especially with the two having met Reina's civilian form? But... Adrien already knew their civilian form, how did he not—  
  
"Reina!" Eriis' voice seemed distant, but Reina's head tilted down anyway, staring wide-eyed at the silver kwami in their pocket. "You must transform! You must assist the ladybug and the cat!"  
  
Reina's mouth opened and closed, their body going on autopilot and sprinting them to the bathroom where they leaned against the door in a minor anxiety attack.  
  
"Eriis! That's Adrien! That's Marinette! They're Ladybug and Chat Noir, _¡dios mío!_ "  
  
"Listen to me, Reina!" Eriis had flown out, her little paws resting on Reina's cheekbones as she spoke. "It does not matter that you are aware of their true identities. The akuma here is one of many to come. Hawkmoth is no longer waiting for people to be unstable. He is finding different ways of control!"  
  
Reina's brow creased. "What?! But that... that would make him impossible to fight! If we can't get to him—"  
  
They were cut off by Chat Noir breaking through the door and hitting the wall opposite them, sliding down. Reina's reaction was instinctive. They ran to the unconscious boy's side, tapping the side of his face lightly.  
  
"Come on! Wake up! Wake up, _¡idiota!_  STRAWBERRY, OPEN YOUR EYES!"  
  
Their words seemed to startle Chat Noir into opening his eyes and he stared at them in shock. Reina's mouth opened as they realised they'd just used their pet name for Adrien.  
  
"Ohgodohgod, _¡estúpido idiota!_ " Reina mumbled as they tried to scramble away, only for Chat to grab their wrist and pull them back. His green orbs were fierce as he stared at them.  
  
"Reina, how did you know it was me?"  
  
"Uh......"  
  
"Reina!"  
  
" _Jesus_ , it just seemed obvious! You disappeared and a superhero that looks like you in leather appears? I've seen you in leather for your shoots! I know your body shape, Strawberry."  
  
Chat let out a quiet exhale. "Then... did you figure out who Ladybug is too?"  
  
"Obviously."  
  
Chat's eyes began to gleam. "Who?"  
  
"You don't know? _Dios mío_." Reina was legitimately shocked. "But it's so obvious! Look, if she hasn't told you, that's her choice. But I won't give her away."  
  
Chat let out a quiet laugh."You really are still the same, Dusk."  
  
"Did you expect me to be different?"  
  
Their heads whipped up then, hearing the crash as Ladybug flew across the courtyard.  
  
"Help her, _idiota,_  go!" Reina stood, pulling Chat Noir with them and shoving him toward the exit. "Go, go, go!"  
  
"Alright, but you have to get outta here, Reina. It's too dangerous."  
  
Reina smirked. "Danger is my middle name, cat boy."  
  
Chat rolled his eyes but actually listened, running out into the courtyard and helping Ladybug fight Bullie. His call of " **CATACLYSM**!" was extremely distinctive as he did.  
  
Reina sighed in relief before glancing around the area for Eriis. The little kwami had disappeared with Chat Noir's entrance and was staying hidden. Not that Reina really wanted to transform. Their mind was too full of 'what if' this and 'what if' that. It would be kind of dangerous for them to be Lupus at the moment.  
  
"Reina!" The kwami's voice was reasonably loud, given the current background noise. "Has Chat Noir left?"  
  
" _Sí_ , he's helping Ladybug."  
  
"You must do the same thing!" Eriis seemed to appear from thin air, her little paws back on Reina's cheekbones. "You must help them! This akuma's power is to turn whomever they wish into a paranoid mess. If the akuma directs that power to the heroes, they will turn on each other. You must help!"  
  
Reina sighed, pursing their lips as they stared at their little friend. "This is a horrible idea, _mi amigo_." Eriis' twitched up into a smirk as Reina opened their locket, staring fondly at the image of their _abuela_  that sat in it.  
  
"Eriis, howl out!"  
  
The little kwami was drawn into the golden locket, the image of Reina's grandmother fading and being replaced by the wolf silhouette. The locket flashed, turning a bright silver and snapping over, its intricate design changing to form subtle fur-like markings. Reina's hands ran down their body, the casual clothing of Lupus encasing their form in the magical way it did, their ginger locks being sucked back into their scalp, the silvery cut replacing it. The paint-like darkness seemed to seep from their hairline, dripping down until it covered the top half of their face, acting like a mask. Their eyes flashed from caramel brown to green-gold and slightly slit. And then Lupus stood tall in the girl's bathroom.  
  
Lupus ran out the door, not too worried about Chat Noir or Ladybug noticing her as their attention was solely focused on the akuma. They stood angled, back-to-back as Bullie fired bright purple bolts at them and the few people left behind.  
  
"Need a hand, _ami_ — my friends?" Lupus caught herself quickly, flipping toward the other two heroes. Their faces lit up at the sight of her as she conjured a staff, not unlike Chat Noir's. "You looked like you could use it."  
  
"Lupus!" Chat Noir's voice was relieved as he called her name. "We can't get close enough to get the akuma! It's in her glasses!"  
  
Lupus glanced up at the floating akuma, watching as her hands came up to her glasses as she directed her purple bolts. Lupus felt her lips twitch up, letting the staff vanish. "Wrong choice."  
  
She ran, vaulting up the stairs, looking for a higher purchase. She spun up toward the roof, catching hold of the beam and swinging around to hang from her legs conjuring a bow and arrow.  
  
"Are you ready, Ladybug?" Lupus called, seeing the buggy heroine nod. She pulled the string on the bow back, her hands steady as she aimed. Her breath came out slow, deliberate. She let the arrow fly.  
  
The arrow flew true, catching the rim of the glasses and knocking them off Bullie's head, Chat Noir jumped forward and stepping on the item quickly. Ladybug's yo-yo followed the freed black butterfly, catching it effortlessly.  
  
"Bye-bye, little butterfly," Ladybug smiled as she released the now-cleansed white butterfly. Lupus dropped as she allowed the bow and arrow to vanish, spinning around the land on her feet at the last moment.  
  
"Good fight, team." She stretched her arms above her head a quiet groan of relief as her back popped. Her stretching was interrupted by the black feline who'd decided to jump her in an overwhelming effort to hug her.  
  
"I wasn't sure if you'd come, you totally saved our butts!"  
  
Lupus snorted, pushing Chat off her as she rolled her shoulders. "No big. Saw the news, came running to help. I reckon you guys had it under control. Ladybug's Lucky Charm normally saves the day, right?"  
  
"You're gonna need a lucky charm to deal with this," Ladybug murmured as Alya came racing toward the three heroes.  
  
"Hi, do you have time for a quick interview?"  
  
Lupus blinked rapidly, turning to the other two heroes for help. Ladybug shot her a smile before turning to the budding journalist. "Of course we have a minute. It's... Alya, right?"  
  
Alya's eyes lit up then, like stars rocketing through her irises. "Yes! I run the Ladyblog and the city has been going wild, wondering who the new hero is!" Alya's phone came up, recording Lupus as she spoke. "What's your name?"  
  
Lupus let an easy smile encompass her face. "My name is Lupus."  
  
"Why is your outfit so different and casual?"  
  
"I discovered the secret to transforming the way I wanted to. These two-" her arm swept in an arc toward Ladybug and Chat Noir "-are stuck on default, for lack of a better term."  
  
"Why did you come here? Where did you come from?"  
  
Lupus hesitated. "Well, I moved here. Where I came from isn't important."  
  
"Are you here to stay?"  
  
When no answer came, Ladybug and Chat Noir turned to face their new friend and partner. Her face was lowered, brow creased in thought. Ladybug laid a gentle hand on Lupus' shoulder, startling the girl.  
  
Lupus cleared her throat quickly, turning back to the expectant Alya. "I can't answer with certainty but... I suppose the answer is yes. Yes, I am."  
  
"That's all the time I have for the camera, milady," Chat Noir whispered to Ladybug, gesturing to his ring. He only had a minute left.  
  
"Run, Strawberry, go!" Lupus exclaimed. "Don't transform here! Go!"  
  
Chat Noir stood frozen, staring at her in complete shock. Lupus' jaw clenched, ignoring what she had said, ignoring the mistake she'd made a second time and scooping the black feline up before running from the school.  
  
"See you another time, Ladybug!"

  
x x x x x

  
Lupus sprinted across the rooftops, counting down in her head before jumping into an alley and covering Chat Noir's body as he transformed.  
  
"You're a fool!" Lupus hissed as Adrien caught his kwami in his palms. "A-a complete _¡imbécil!_ "  
  
"Yell at me later, Reina," Adrien said quietly, keeping his gaze on the little black kwami. "I really pushed Plagg today, he needs camembert."  
  
Lupus scrunched up her nose. "Camembert? Really?"  
  
Adrien looked at her for the first time then, his eyes reserved. "I suppose your kwami wants something totally normal."  
  
Lupus sighed — not at his words but his tone — and whispered, "Eriis, howl down."  
  
The silver kwami was ejected from the locket, the trademark wolf silhouette vanishing to reveal their _abuela_  once more. The casual outfit, silver hair and cattish eyes were stripped away, revealing Reina underneath as Eriis landed in her hiding spot, poking her head from the top of Reina's breast pocket.  
  
"Camembert is do-able, right?" Reina asked their silver friend, Eriis nodding before flying out and disappearing.  
  
"That's Eriis, right?"  
  
Reina glanced back down at Adrien as he held Plagg protectively close to his chest, a hand running through their long-again ginger locks. They reached a hand down to Adrien, the blonde taking it and standing it slowly.  
  
" _Sí_ , that was Eriis. She's gone to get Plagg some camembert. She won't be gone long."  
  
"Did you realise it was me when you saved me?"  
  
Adrien's voice was quiet — too quiet. Reina wasn't sure if he was angry but they found themselves desperately hoping he wasn't. They didn't know if they could handle their oldest friend being angry at them about something like this. Especially when they were just trying to help.  
  
"No, I didn't." Adrien's head whipped up in surprise. It clearly hadn't been the answer he was expecting. "I realised only today, actually. When you disappeared. I just... it seemed kinda obvious."  
  
Adrien hugged them with one hand, the other still holding Plagg protectively. His grip was tight, afraid.  
  
"Though I did totally save your ass, didn't I?" Reina laughed, fighting back their tears.  
  
"Reina! I have the camembert!"  
  
Reina glanced up to see a slice of rather unappealing cheese falling toward them. Their hands came up, catching the cheese easily in their palms. They placed the slice in Adrien's hand, the two of them watching as Plagg began to stir.  
  
"Can I smell camembert?" The little kwami groaned, rolling over and spotting the cheese. "I can!" Adrien and Reina watched in slight horror as Plagg's mouth opened incredibly wide and devoured the slice in one bite. "Mmm, that hits the spot! _AAHH_!"  
  
Plagg seemed to finally realise that he and Adrien weren't alone. Reina giggled at his sudden reaction giving the kwami a small wave. "Hi, Plagg!"  
  
A slight wheeze had begun to emit from the little feline, his head turning slowly to stare at Adrien in shock. Adrien shook his head at Plagg's dramatics, directing the kwami's gaze to Eriis who had perched atop Reina's left shoulder.  
  
"Whoa, wait a second." Plagg blinked rapidly, staring as Eriis gave a little wave. "You're new. I knew I could sense a new kwami! Tikki thought I was imagining it but I was right!"  
  
"Are you feeling better, Plagg?" Reina asked with a small smile, leaning close to the black kwami. Plagg's eyes darted up and down, analysing them.  
  
"Yeah. Camembert is really good for me."  
  
"It's not too good for my image, though," Adrien muttered and Reina smiled as they pictured Gabriel Agreste questioning the bill for a _lot_  of camembert.  
  
"Come on, _cariño_ ," Reina whispered, slinging their arm across Adrien's shoulders. "Let's get you and the little one home."

  
x x x x x

  
Ladybug had felt a jolt of recognition go through her when Lupus had yelled for Chat Noir to run. What was it she had said? Strawberry?  
  
The heroine was too deep in thought to pay proper attention to Alya so she apologised and excused herself, throwing up her yo-yo and swinging away from the school courtyard.  
  
She thought hard as she patrolled. She didn't expect another akuma but she hadn't used Lucky Charm so she didn't know what else to do. Why was Lupus' use of 'Strawberry' bothering her so much? It was just a nickname...  
  
Ladybug gasped, falling to the ground in her surprise. A nickname! She'd heard it before! It was what Reina called Adrien!  
  
Reina...called...Adrien...  
  
Ladybug did not feel ashamed for passing out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter can also be seen as me living vicariously through Reina as they figure out these dorks in 0.2 seconds because they're SO OBVIOUS
> 
> For anyone who isn't also reading Misfortune: I am hella stressed right now and I'll probably end up taking a small break while I finish up at school and get over writer's block. See you guys soon (I hope)


End file.
